artiFacts

Restoration & Care

In this tutorial, I will show you how to safely remove price stickers from a vintage G1 Blitzwing box. This method may safely be applied to other toys that have a shiny carded surface, such as GI Joe, Thundercats, and many others. I would not recommend it for papery Read more

Liberon Wax Filler Sticks are used for filling minor scratches, nail holes, small cracks, etc. Can be softened & moulded in the hand for hole filling or rubbed in for scratches. Excess wax can be easily removed by gently buffing with a soft cloth. Made from a base of hard Read more

Most people don’t know what the difference between ceramics and pottery. Pottery is anything that is thrown, hand built or sculpted.
Ceramics are made with a two piece mold. Clay slip is poured into a plaster mold, let for fifteen or twenty minutes, excess is poured out, then mold is Read more

Delicate instruments require delicate treatment – all too often these objects suffer through thoughtless display and over-enthusiastic handling.
Clocks, scientific instruments,musical boxes and automata are likely to be harmed if subjected to direct sunlight, extremes of temperature or damp. A common, but one of the worst places for a clock Read more

How you care for your pewter depends on the appearance you wish to achieve and maintain. In daily use, pewter was kept bright and polished and some collectors prefer this appearance. Pewter does not tarnish like silver, so a periodic clean with an all-purpose metal (not silver) polish will Read more

Because we wear jewellery as we move around, it is at a great risk from accidental damage or loss unless special care is taken.
Fragile gemstones or crystal beads shatter if hit against a hard surface. A soft, 18 carat gold ring wears paper-thin if it is worn constantly, especially Read more

Metalware
Individual metals react at different rates and in different ways to natural conditions, and their care, handling and restoration varies accordingly.
Despite their apparent toughness, metals can be scratched, dented or fractured, or may corrode. If metals are combined with other materials, as in jewellery or furniture, care must be Read more

Maintaining the surface or patina of sculptures and statues of stone, bronze, spelter or lead, whether kept indoors or outside, is a top priority.
Prudent siting of outdoor sculpture in a sheltered position is the first step to practical conservation. Water dripping from a tree will stain a statue placed Read more